Who doesn’t love a thick slathering of creamy goodness on a freshly baked scone?

After our food editor, Margo True, told me that we had just received fresh milk from our cow, Holly, I wanted to make the same clotted cream which we made for our new book.

I started to skim the cream from the jars of milk, but found that I was getting too much of the milk mixed in with the cream. I switched to a baster and was able to easily remove the cream top without disturbing the milk. I poured all the cream into shallow baking pans about 1 in. high, covered the pans with foil, and baked the cream at 175° for 8 hours.

So far, so good.

The next step was to refrigerate the pans until they were cold and then skim off the “clotted” cream. No problem, I’d done this before using a slotted spoon to be sure I removed the thick layer and not the underlying liquid.

After I did this, I whisked the various batches together (just as I’d done when developing the recipe for the book) and refrigerated it overnight so it could firm up. The next morning, all I found was a thick liquid.

What happened?!

Should I have let it go longer (8 hours is the minimum and 12 is the max)? I made it so many times before without fail. Did I just start with too much cream (I used all we had and tried to divide it evenly among several pans)?

COMMENTS

MotherLodeBeth

When I make clotted cream it’s a combination of making homemade creme fraiche and yogurt.

I allow the raw cream with some of the milk to set on the counter covered for 10-12 hours and then slowly heat to around 140*,then allow to cool to 70* at which time the cream will have risen and thickened or clotted and can be carefully skimmed off into a clean jar.

Think of the word clotted, as in a blood clot. Thick.

April 14, 2011 at 3:58 am

HB

Realized I made a typo. Lactase is an enzyme. It breaks down lactose. In any case, since you so carefully skimmed the fatty layer off, I don’t imagine there was much if any lactose left. Perhaps the milk was TOO fresh? Maybe it did not get inoculated enough to clabber. How long did it sit out before you heated it?

April 13, 2011 at 6:03 pm

HB

Could it possibly be enzymatic action? If you don’t cook Pastry Cream long enough, enzymes will break down the lactase overnight in the fridge and it goes all liquidy. Maybe the same thing happened here.

April 6, 2011 at 9:52 pm

Chiot’s Run

Very sad when something doesn’t work. I’ve never made clotted cream, but I want to when the raw milk starts flowing very soon. Perhaps it was just that batch of cream. Every now and then I have a batch of mozzarella that just doesn’t set properly.

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Westphoria explores the innovations and lifestyle trends of the 13 Western states, covering food, drink, design, arts and culture, and the dreamers who live here. To contact the editor, westphoria@sunset.com